FREDERICK A. STOKES & BRO. revel in colorbooks. They issue a number of exquisite quartos of original designs, that must surely delight the favored ones for whom they are designed. "One, Two, Three, Four," is made up of large full-color pages, executed in fac-simile of watercolor designs of little children of the ages, respectively, of one, two, three, and four years. These charming little heads are the work of Maud Humphrey. Alternate pages display verses by Helen Gray Cone, and these are printed in monotint. "Babes of the Nations" is also from the fertile pencil of Maud Humphrey, who is particularly happy in depicting children. Here we have in appropriate costume, most artistically colored, a little child of Russia, of Holland, Scotland, France, Italy, England, Spain, Africa, Germany, the United States, Sweden, and Canada. With each plate are pages of verses by Edith M. Thomas in delicate monotints. "Babes of the Nations" is divided into two thinner books, which are named, "Tiny Folk of Sunny Days" and "Tiny Folk of Wintry Days." The children and verses are divided equally in these volumes-the children of northern climates forming the "Tiny Folk of Wintry Days," those of the southern countries coming under the denomination of "Tiny Folk of Sunny Days." The "Bessie Books" are so firmly fixed in the affections of reading girls that a continuation of them has been asked for, so Joanna H. Mathews, their popular author, has begun a series of sequels to them, the first appearing under the name of "Maggie Bradford's Club." This club is the "Cheeryble Sisters' Club," and is organized that the girls may learn to work for others and do good deeds of charity and loving kindness. Its purpose is so earnest that it will be found very readable by bright, clever girls. MARCUS WARD & Co. have made some very pretty juveniles which are hard to describe, but make a good show on Christmas counters. "Where Lilies Live and Waters Wind Away" is a book of pictures by field and stream, with happy children at play, pictured by Edith S. Berkeley from descriptions given in verses by F. W. Bourdillon; "The Robbers of Squeak" tells of the adventures of a band of mouse marauders and their conversion to a better mode of life; "Three Old Friends" is the collective title given the dear old nursery legends of "Three Blind Mice;" "Three Little Kittens" and "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe," which have been put into gold and color gorgeousness by Edward Caldwell, who has studied the demands of infants whose eyes have been developed by kindergarten training. This same artist has also "restored" "The Fox and the Goose" for the æsthetic eyes of 1889, and "A Ballroom Comedy" consists of the late C. S. Calverly's laughable "A B C" rhymes, beautified with illustrations by May Oulton. F. WARNE & Co. have laid themselves out to tale of Texas in the days when it was an indeplease the young this season and offer many old pendent republic, the former of the river Wye, favorites and new-comers, all in most tempting in Herefordshire, England. Many incidents and holiday clothes. Their Children's Classics em- exciting episodes characterize both stories. They brace dear old boys like Grimm and Andersen; are for either boys or girls, but for much more and the still older favorites, "Robinson Crusoe mature readers than those for whom "Witch and "The Swiss Family Robinson." Captain Winnie" and "Deb and the Duchess" were writMarryat's and Captain Mayne Reid's delightful ten. books are also on their list, and various books of adventure by less known writers. There are also several very charming art-books of which we can only say, look for "Follies, Foibles, and Fancies of Fish, Flesh, and Fowl," with illustrations by the son of Birket Foster; "Young America's Painting-Book;" and "Old Mother Goose's Rhymes and Tales," and you will see some very pretty things. WHITE & ALLEN's special offering to the little ones consists of two new and artistic renderings of the favorite old fairy tales of "Cinderella" and "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood." George W. Brenneman, of the Salmagundi Club, is the artist who has made the designs for these stories, reproducing the familiar scenes and characters so dear to every childish heart. They are both illustrated with water-color designs, reproduced in fac-simile by the photo-aquarelle process, and by many black and white sketches printed in various delicate tints. They are delightful specimens of art juveniles and color printing, and are certain to please the nursery inmates as well as their sympathetic mammas. An older class of girls can be made happy with two excellent tales on this firm's list: "Witch Winnie," by Elizabeth W. Champney, is the story of a "King's Daughter," one of "the to seek and to save ten" who made it their special work to care for little lost princes; "Deb and the Duchess," by L. T. Meade, is full of the odd sayings and doings of two unusually clever children. There is a pathetic side of the tale which is very gracefully handled. It is from the same pen which wrote " Daddy's Boy," one of the most charming books of last year. Two more stories of Captain Mayne Reid, never heretofore issued in this country, are now sent out in handsome illustrated twelvemos-namely, "Gwen Wynn" and "The Death Shot." The latter is a list of books for young people, of which we can THOMAS WHITTAKER has ready his usual long only mention a few in briefest manner. "In All Our Doings," by Grace Stebbing, is a book about the lessons of the collects; L. T. Meade, always Tower Hill" and "Nobody's Neighbors." A a favorite, has written "The Little Princess of story well worth reading is Mrs. Molesworth's "The Third Miss St. Quentin;" and Hesba Stretton furnishes volumes of "Short Stories" and ST. MARK'S AND THE CAMPANILE. From "Personally Conducted." (Copyright, 1889, by Charles Scribner's Sons.) |